Oven conveyer



Jan, 6, 1931. P. F. KRENZKE 1,787,731

OVEN GONVEYER Filed June 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 6, 1931. P. F. KRENZKE 1,787,731

OVEN CONVEYER I 2 ShQets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 192$ I E1 M1 Patented Jan. 6, 1931 PAULVF. xannznn, or 'cnioAeo," ILLINOIS J ovnn CONVEYER Application filed 311116520, Serial No; 372,268,

The present invention relates genefrallv to conveyers for carrying unfinished articles through ovens, or like heating apparatus, for drying or baking purposes. More particularly the invention relates to that type-of .-.oven conveyer which comprisesa pair of end less chains that are arranged inside-by-side relation and are supported by sprocket wheels so that parts thereof travel through 19 the conveyer, cross-rodsbetween the chains,

and baskets or receptacles which are pivot ally Connected to anddependfrom the'eros'srodsand serve to support the articles and carry them through the oven during drive of thechaini.

, Inovens of the above mentioned type'it has heretofore been customary to support the parts of the chains between the drivingand idler sprocket wheels by means of flanged; 39 wheels which are journalled l'on'the'ends of, vthe'cross-rods and. are adapted to travel on stationarily mounted track-sections. These- 'wheel-s have proved .in' practice to be inefficient from an operating standpointdue to the fact that the grease .or'other lubricant which must necessarily be supplied thereto-is reduced'to carbon'when subjected to the heat of the oven and, as a result, it loses its lubrieating properties and causes the wheels to bind on the cross-rods. i

One object of the invention is to provide a conveyer of the character under consider tion in which the parts of the chains between the driving and idler sprocket wheels are" supported by units which are of an improvedcharacter and'have decided advantages, over the flanged wheels heretofore used in that' they require no lubricant, olfer a minimum; frictional retardation to themovement of" the chains, and are not affected by contraction and expansion thereof due to the dlifen ential temperatures that existinside and outside the oven. In general, it may be stated that each of these units consists of a shoe which is fixedly secured tofone of'the ends of a cross-rod, and a series of rollers which are revolvable around the shoe and travel on stationary track sections between thevarious sprocket wheels.

I Another object of the invention isto pro vide an oven-conveyer embodying'chain-supporting units. of the; aforementioned type, in which meansof" an lmproved character is provided for" preventing lateral displacement of the series of rollers relatively to the shoes;

A further object of the invention is the provision ofimproved means, whereby the ends of the cross-rods are connected to the shoes of the supporting units and the'chain.

- A still further object of the invention is to provide an oven conveyer which is gener ally of new and improved construction, may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost, and is more efiicient in-operation than previ-V ously designed conveyer-s for the same purpose.

Other objects o us advantages and characteristics of the ofthe invention and the varipresent conveyer construction will be apparentfrom: a consideration of the following detailed description. V

f The invention consists in-the several novel featureswhich are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusion hereof.

' In the drawings which accompany and forrna part of this specification or disclosure andin which likenumerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views 'F'gure 1: is "a vertical longitudinal sectional view'of an oven conveyer embodying the invention; 7 I

'2 'is' a transverse sectiontaken on --'Figure the line 22 of Figure 1'; I

Figure 3 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section of one of the units for supporting the parts of the chains that are disposed wheels v t Figure disclosed Figure intermediately of the sprocket e is a plan view of the unitthat is in Figure 3;* s 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of .Figure 3 and illustrating the manner in which the'ends of the crossrods are secured to the chain-supporting units and the chain;

and

Figure isla detail-view of thelilik ar 'tien'edin side-by-side relation.

ers 0 The latter extend transversely across.

the bottom portion of the casing and are of the type that is supplied with gas. The conveyer embodies apair of endless chains 10 which-travel in vertical planes and are posi- Pairs of sprocket wheels 11 operate to support the chains 10 and are 'so arrangedthat the upper reaches of the 'chainsjpass longitudinally through the oven The lower reaches of the chains pass beneath the oven inasmuch as the chains ,are adapted to travel, as previously pointed out, in vertical planes. Crossrods 12 extend between and are supported by the'chains 10." Pivotally connectedto and depending from these rods are baskets or receptacles 13 which are adapted to receive the articles tobe heated and carry such articles through the ovenO. The receptacles'are.

. provided with straps or-.-hangers.14 which v shafts 16 of one pair of sprocket wheels 11 serve as the pivotal connections between the cross-rods 12' and "said receptacles Collars abut against the straps 14 toip-revent lateral displacement of the receptacles relatively to the chains 10. The sprocketwheels 11 which support the chains .10 are individually mounted on stub shafts 16'so that the space beneath the rods '12 and between the chains: 10 is free or unobstructed'and permits of the ready passage or travel of the receptacles 13.

The stub shafts .16, are ournalled in brackets 17 which are. secured to uprights or standards 18. Thezlatter are, ri-gidlyheld in place. at

the sides of the chains and serve tosusta-in the oven O. 'FThebhainslO are drivento effect movement of the receptacles through the oven, by means of gear wheels 1 9which' arev keyed or otherwiserigidly secured tothestub The ,gearwheels ltliare adapted to'be driven conjointly and in such a manner as to cause the chains and receptacles to move slowly through the oven. c

Each of the chains 10consi'sts of solid prism-like links 20 and pairs of link-bars .21.

These links and pairs of 'link-barsalternate with one another and are pivotally connected together by pivot pins 22. The latter extend through holes 23 and. 24 which are punched or otherwiseformed in the endsof-the links and linkbars respectively. The 'endsiof the pins 22.project outwardly of the outer faces of the link-bars 21am are riveted over or respect to said chains.

provided with cotter pins or similar retaining devices in order to hold the link-bars in place and in connected relation with respect to the links 20. The pivot pins constitute the. articulation points for the links and the link-bars and are positioned, by virtue of the arrangement of the sprocket wheels 11, so

that the pins of one chain are co-axial or in longitudinal alignment with the pins of the other chain. Thecross-rods 12 are hollow and are'connected to the chains 10 by studs 25 whieh project laterally and inwardly with These studs are formed as integral parts of some of the links 20 and extend into the ends of the cross-rods 12. Said cross-rods are secured in place around'the studs bybolts 26 which extend transversely through. diametrically opposite holes 27in the endsof the cross-rods and through holes 28 in the distal'ends .of the studs The bolts 26, by extending in the manner set forth, operate to -secure the crossrods and studs together against relative axial and rotative movement. The crossrods 12 are connected to the chains 10 at such intervals that the receptacles do not interfere with one another during travel thereof either.

in the horizontal or the vertical reaches of the chains. Said chains are supported inter-.

mediate the sprocket wheels 11by means of units 29 which aresecu-red to the ends of the cross-rods 12 and cooperate with stationary track-sections30. The latter extend between the sprocket wheelsll and are positioned slightly-inwardly of the chains 10. Supporting-mem'bers 31 whichare securedto the V uprights'or standards 18 serve to supportfixedly the track-sections in their operativeposition.

Each of the units 29 comprises an elongated shoe 32 and an endless series of rollers both faces of the web and is provided with a bore 37 for receiving the end of the cross-rod with which the shoeis associated. The rim 36, likethe hub 34, projects laterally from both faces of the web 32. The end parts of the rim 36 are semi-circular in conformation. The parts of the rim between said end parts are substantially parallel and are adapted to be brought into parallel relation with re spent to the head =pa'rts30 of the track-sections 30; The rim 36 corresponds substantially in width to said head parts 30 of the track-sections. The rollers '33 are connected together in'serie's form and so that they are conjointly movabl-y around the rim 36, by meansof a link arrangement consisting of pairs of inner link-bars 38 and pairs of outer link-bars 39. These various pairs of linlnbars alternate with one another and are pivotally" connected together by pins 40. 5 The latter are provided at the ends thereof with BXtBIF n'ally threaded stems ll whichextend through" circular holes 42 in the ends of theouter linkbars 39 and are provided with nuts 13 which operate to clamp said outer link-bars against the end parts of the 'pins.,'The ends of the inner link-bars 38 are provided with circular holes 44 through which extend the pins 40.

The rollers 33 are rotatably mounted on the pins 40 and are positioned between the coin mounted loosely on the pins 40'is that the series of rollers is sufliciently free to permit the same to revolve around the rim of the shoe readily and without ofl'eri'ng undue frictional retardation to the drive ofthe chains. Every other roller 33 is provided at the ends thereof with radially extendingv flanges 46 which lap the rim 36 and are adapted to straddle the' contiguous part of the adjoining track-section for the purpose of preventing transverse displacement of the rollers, with respect to" the shoe 32. A further function of thefianges 46 is to prevent the shoe from being. dis

placed laterally relatively'to the track-sections. The shoe 32 is secured in placeby-the bolt 26 that is associated with the adjoining cross-rod. Said bolt is of such length that the ends thereof pass through aligned holes 34 in the inner part of the collar 34. A charac-. teristic and an advantage of having the bolt 26extend both through the cross-bar and the collaris that but one securing instrumental'ity is necessary to connect rigidly the shoe'and cross-rod to the stud2 5." The holes 34 are so arranged with respect to the bolt 26 that the shoe 32 extends in substantially parallel-relationwith respect to the adjacent link 20. To prevent the series of rollers and the link arrangement that is associated therewith from sagging when the shoe passes around the sprocket wheels and out of alignment with the track-sections, an oval shaped guide-' member 47 is provided. This member is pr ef-- erably formed of angle iron and embodies an outwardly extending leg 48 which overlaps the inner ends of the rollers 33, as illustrated in Figure 5. U-shaped brackets4l9 serve to support the guide-member in its operative position. These brackets are connected by bolts 50 to the web 35 and the othe'r'or vertical'leg of the guide-member 47.

' The operation of the conveyer will be as follows: 'When the gear wheels 19 are driven, the chains 10 are caused to move around the sprocket wheels 11 and, as a result, efiect movement of the receptacles 14: through the oven O;- During this drive movement of the conveyer, the portions of the chains that are between the sprocket wheels are supported by the units 29 which operate in conjunction with the track-sections 30. VVhenthe units are moved the series of rollers33 travel in rotative succession on the track-sections and;

revolve about the shoes 32. As the units-29 pass out of alignment with the track-sections andaround with the sprocket wheels 11, the series of rollers 33 arep'revented by the guidememberT fromsagging and being displaced laterally. When the series offrollers 33 are revolvedabout the shoes-32 by virtue of their contact with the track-sections, the radially extending flanges e6 at the ends ofthe rollers The oven conveyer herein disclosed may be manufactured at acomparatively low cost and is efficient from anoperating standpoint in that no lubricant is needed for the rollerswhich. are used in connection therewith.

The invention is not to be understood as restrictedto the details set forth, since these may bemodified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent,'is: V r I 1. In a conveyer, the combination of a pair of endless chains arranged in side-by-side relation, sprocket wheels for supporting and driving the chains, track-sections between the sprocket wheel s, cross-rods positioned between and having the ends thereof connected to the'chains,-and unitsfor supporting the parts of the chains that are disposed inter mediately with respect to the sprocket wheels, comprising shoes on the ends of the rods and series of rollers travelable on the track-sections and revolvable about the shoes.

" 2; In a conveyor the combination of a pair of endless chains arranged in side-by-side relation,sprocket wheels for supportingand driving the chains,t rack sections between tile sprocket wheels, cross-rods positioned between and havingthe' ends thereof connected to the chains, and units for supporting the partsof the "chains that are disposed intermediatel'y with respect to the sprocket wheels,

comprising shoes on the endsof the rods and;

series of rollers travelable on the-track-sections and revolvable about the shoes, the rollers of each series being connected together by links for. conjoint movement.

of endless chains arrangedin side-by-side relation, sprocket wheels for supporting and 7 driving the chains, track-sections between the sprocket wheels, cross-rods positioned be tween and havmg the ends'thereofconnected to the chains, and units for supporting the parts of the chains that are disposedinterative to prevent displacement ofthe rollers.

when the units are'out of engagement with" r the track-sections and movefabout thesprockmediately with respect to the sprocket wheels,

comprising shoes on the ends of the rods and series of rollers travelableton the track-sec.-

tions and revolvable about the shoes, some. of the rollers being provided with radially extending flanges at the ends thereofopera tive to straddle theshoes and thetra'ok-sections for the purpose of preventing sidewise displacement of the rods and chains. relatively to the track-sections and ofthe series of rollers relatively to the shoes; ;Z

l. Ina conveyer, the combination ofa pair of endless chains arranged in side-by-side relatiom sprocket wheels forsupporting and driving the. chains, track-sections between the sprocket wheels, cross-rods positioned betweenand having the endsthereof connected to. the chains,'and units for supporting the parts of the chains that are disposed intermediately with respectto the sprocket wheels,

comprising shoes on the ends of the rods, series of rollers travelable on the track-sec-j tlons and'revolvable about the shoes, and

guide-members secured to theshoes and operet wheels.

extending studs, sprocket wheels for. supporting and driving the chains, track-sections between the sprocket wheels, hollow cross-rods disposed between and having the ends thereof connected to the studs, ,and :units for supporting the chains intermediately I ofthe r sprocketv wheels, comprising. shoes ;on V the ends of the rods and series of rollerstlavelable on the track-sections and revolvable ends thereof fitting around the studs, and

units for supporting the chains intermediately of the sprocket wheels, comprising shoes 7 on the ends of th rods and s ri s f rol ers.

tr-avelab le vonthe track-sections and revo1vv lation and provided with inwa rdly extend- Ina conveyer, the combination of a pair chains intermediately of the sprocket wheels,

comprising shoeson the ends of the rods and series of rollers travelable. on the track-sections and revolvable about the shoes, and

.means for rigidly connecting together the studs, shoesand ends of the cross-rods.

8. In a conveyer, the combination of a chain, sprocket wheels for supporting and driving the chain, a track-section between'the sprocket wheels, and units for supporting the portion of the chain that is disposed intermediately with respect to said sprocket wheels, comprising shoes connected to the chain and movable therewith and series of rollers travelable on the track-section and re.-

volvable about the shoes. t

9. In a'conveyer, the combination of an endless chain, sprocket wheels for supporting and driving the chain, track-sections between the sprocket wheels, and units for supportingthe parts of the chain that are dis- .posed intermediately with respect to said sprocket wheels, comprising shoes connected to. the chain and movable therewith, and series 7 of rollers travelable on the track-sections and revolvable about the shoes, the rollers of each series being connected together by links for conjoint movement.

10. i A roller unit for use in connection with V a conveyer, comprising ashoe adapted to be 5. In a conveyor, the combination ofa pair of endless chains arranged in side-b-y side re-' lation and provided with pairsofinwardly' connected to anelongated element'and to be shifted by said element over and longitudinally of a track-section, an endless series of link-connected rollers disposed around the periphery of the shoe, travelable on the tracksection and revolvable about the shoe, and means for preventing axial displacement of the rollers 'relatively' to' said shoe.

11. A roller unit for use in connection with aconveyer', comprising a shoe adapted to be connected to anelongated element and to be shifted by said element over and longitudinally of a track-section, an endless series of link-connected rollers disposed around the periphery ofthe shoe, travelable on the tracksection and revolvable about the shoe, and

' flanges on the ends of some of the rollers for lapping thesides of the shoe and preventing axial displacement of the rollers with respect,

to said shoe.

' Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 15th day of June, 1929. i

.KBENZKE- 

